Jonathan moved his bishop. "Check," he said. As he turned slightly from the computer screen, he reviewed the data on the latest test of his armor. To his disgust, the .30 caliber round had managed to penetrate the plating. He could make it thicker, but the added weight gave a negative return on investment. While he considered the problem, he quickly filled in three more clues from the New York Times crossword puzzle. Then he turned back to the chess game. A quick shift from his rook was mate. He snapped off the screen in disgust. Even at maximum difficulty, the computer couldn't challenge him any more. He would have to write a new program.

He quickly began dictating ideas for a neural processor while he finished up the crossword. Just as he had filled in the last clue, a light began to flash on his computer. "Data," he said, wondering who was calling him. A picture of an attractive woman appeared before him as his system traced the call. Her information appeared underneath it.

Ophilia DiSantiago. Interesting. He worked with the DiSantiago family on some of their projects, but hadn't met her. What could she possibly want with him? Normally he would ignore the call, but he was intrigued. Besides, he was bored, having finished all of the crossword puzzles from every major paper. Now he had only the computer redesign to occupy himself. "Answer." The phone immediately connected. "Yes, Ms. DiSantiago, what can I do for you?" he asked even as he continued to design the new circuitry with cybernetic commands.

"Hello...is this Jonathan Edwards?" The woman hesitated for only a second before she started speaking.

Jonathan felt no real need to be polite. The woman wasn't a reporter or anyone whose opinion he particularly cared about. "Since you called my number, shouldn't you know already? And it is Jonathan Edwards Jace. Or Dr. Jace if you prefer."

"Yes." Her tone was curt. "Now that I've spoken with you for a bit, I can clearly see that nobody else would be around to answer your phone. ...Doc-tor Jace."

"I'm in need of a medic this evening for a special project, and I was wondering if you would be available to help me out." Her tone was all business.

Normally Jonathan would never consider such foolishness. He was a doctor, not a medic. However, until the next set of test results came back tomorrow, he only had a couple of projects on his plate. And, until he got the finances to arrange his clean room properly he wasn't going to be able to do much with the Ebola virus. Depending on the situation, it might be interesting to see what she had in mind. Assuming there would be some benefit to him. "I could be available, what is the special situation?" His voice was calm, slightly bored.

"It's a delicate matter that I'd prefer not to discuss over the phone. Could you be persuaded to meet with me in an hour? Bring your things, and if you find it agreeable, then the project will be at nine. If you don't find it agreeable, it will give me time to call Uncle Angelo, and find someone else more suitable."

"I can clear some time to meet with you, Ms. DiSantiago." Jonathan glanced over at his computer. "At your current location, or somewhere else?" He ignored the implied insult. It was quite likely there was someone more suitable. Although he was a brilliant doctor, it was a waste of his talents to practice normal medicine. There were plenty of idiotic doctors out there able to hand out aspirin. Of course if it involved something with meta-humans, it might give Jonathan access to more DNA for his studies.

"Meet me at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Would you like for me to give you directions?"

Jonathan's computer, responding to her mention of the location, had already pulled up data on the cathedral. It mapped out possible routes, varying by travel style and from fastest to most scenic. Jonathan selected the fastest flying route and had it sent to his suit's GPS. "Not necessary, Ms. DiSantiago. I will see you there in an hour." Jonathan ordered his computer to prep his suit. It was only a five minute flight, so he had some time to work on some optional equipment. "Is there anything else?"

"Yes. This has the potential to get dangerous, so bring that armored suit thing with you. ...and I will need you to sign an additional confidentiality disclosure before I'll be able to divulge the specifics. This is a very delicate situation. Assuming all of this doesn't change your mind...then there isn't anything else."

"Armored suit-thing." The sarcasm in Jonathan's voice was biting and obvious. "How incredibly sophisticated and descriptive. I suppose I should bring those white wrapping things for boo-boos as well."

There was a pointed pause before she continued in a forced tone, "I do appreciate you making yourself available. Just let yourself into the Cathedral when you get there and come find me." With that she waited a moment and then hung up.

Jonathan quickly donned his suit. He went to his work bench and considered the various gadgets there for a moment. Finally he selected his regeneration kit, his holo-recorder, and a targeting computer. It sounded as if all of those might come in handy.

Ophilia stepped outside of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, the future HQ of the Conquistadors, and waited for her friend to arrive with the last minute supplies.

"Really Phi!" Christie laughed as she got out of her convertible and pounced on her friend with a hug. "Beer at a Church!? I think you've been spending too much time with the rest of your family."

"It's not a church. It's a Cathedral. …and that had better be Domestic Beer and not just beer." Ophilia gave her friend a mysterious smile. "Let me help you with that. Then you should get going."

"Oh hail no!" Christie said with a spirited jut of her chin. "You didn't get me to find all this stuff, at this hour and bring it to this Cathedral, and not expect me to stick around and see what was going down?" Her mouth dropped open as she saw her friend nod her head.

"Oh Phi! You can't mean that. I was in my jammies and everything…all snuggled up with a sweet little romance book. Pa—leez, let me stay?"

Christie's pathetic brown eyes and endearing plea was a bit too much for Ophilia to resist. "Ok..ok… But if anyone asks, you're a…you're a nurse. Got it? ...and if things get out of hand, you're going to have to leave." Her friend bobbed her head enthusiastically and mimed crossing her heart with her index finger.

"What's going on here, anyway?" Christie asked as Ophilia bent down to get two bags of ice out of her car.

"Come on get the cooler. I really can't explain right now...I'm expecting someone in a few minutes. Let me show you where to take all of this stuff and you can finish unloading it while I meet with Doctor Jace." Ophilia headed towards the door, not realizing that her friend had stopped dead in her tracks. "As a matter of fact, go ahead and ice the beer and water. I shouldn't be long."

"Christie. ...Christie?" Ophilia looked up and over her shoulder from her precarious position of holding the heavy door open. "You okay Christie?"

When her friend spoke again, she sounded a bit wounded. "Are you serious? How can you not remember..."

Ophilia shook her head apologetically before the light bulb went off in her head, making her nearly dropped a bag of ice as the urge to slap her forehead overcame her. "Oh..Christie. I'm so sorry, I totally forgot you dated him." She shook her head, truly ashamed of herself. "I've had so much on my mind lately. Here. Just unload the stuff and go, if we hurry you won't bump into him."

"That's okay, Phi. Don't worry about it. I'm over him, I was just shocked to hear his name. No way is he going to ruin this for me." Christie's trademark smile broke onto her face as she carried the cooler into the Cathedral. "You have me way too curious to leave now."

"Ugh. This job is turning me into an idiot. I really am sorry, Christie." The sincerity in Ophilia's voice was evident and her friend was more than willing to forgive her.

After Ophilia gave Christie instructions on what needed to be done, she went back to the main area of the Cathedral to meet up with JACE.

JACE flew in smoothly and landed about a block from the cathedral. His suit shimmered, then was replaced by a comfortable, but well-tailored collared shirt and dress pants. Walking casually, he strode into the main area of the building. Seeing Ophilia coming his way, he walked over to her. "Ms. DiSantiago," he said, nodding politely to her.

"Thanks for coming Doctor JACE." She handed him a folder with some papers that needed to be signed. This was odd, considering that he had the top level of clearance available at DiSantiago Pharmaceuticals. As a matter of fact, very few people at the company were aware of some of the top secret military projects that he was working on. "If you can look over these and sign them, I'm eager to explain what it is that I need your help with tonight."

JACE stood comfortably. He took the papers and read through them with his usual care. To an observer, he was just skimming them, but he quickly committed every word to memory. In less time than most people would have taken to read the first page, he was done. Removing a pen from the folder, he quickly initialed and signed where needed, then handed the papers back to Ophilia without comment. Working with DiSantiago Pharmaceuticals, he was familiar and comfortable with their level of secrecy.

"DiSantiago Pharmaceuticals is in the process of forming a Super Powered Crime Fighting Team. Tonight, a situation has arisen, that has two of these heroes in a situation that will require them to fight one another." Her tone was hesitant and it was obvious that she was choosing her words carefully. "I need a trusted member of the family to be here to help referee the fight, once rules are established, to be available in the event of an injury...and in the event that tempers flare into an unexpected frenzy that might require physical restraint."

JACE nodded calmly. At first insulted that she would bother him with such trivia, he quickly revised his thoughts. Although foolish to have him here wasting his time when a normal EMT would more than suffice, the opportunities it presented were fascinating. It was quite likely, whatever the outcome of this ridiculous battle, that he would be able to get samples of meta-human DNA. In addition, there was always the potential of leveraging his presence here for further gain.

It was time to investigate the possibilities. "Your family and mine have a good relationship, Ms. DiSantiago. One based on mutual benefit. I suppose all I need to know is, not to be too crass, but what, precisely is my benefit in this situation?" His voice was light and friendly, deliberately pitched to pose a simple question, rather than a mercenary grab for reward.

Ophilia cocked an eyebrow at him inquiringly. "Let's not be coy. What do you want Dr. Jace? I'm assuming it isn't money. You know that there are few limits to the resources available to me."

JACE smiled. "Direct and to the point. An interesting negotiation style. As you wish, cards on the table." He spread his hands. "You say you are forming a Super Powered Crime Fighting Team. First, of course, I would like to be on the team. I need more exposure, and this is the perfect way to get it. Second I want DNA samples from all other team members that are mine to use as I see fit. Third I want access to the laboratories at DiSantiago Pharmaceuticals, or the equivalent laboratories elsewhere for my own, independent research."

Serious brown eyes regarded him for a moment before Ophilia spoke. "I will give you a position on the staff, as the Team Physician. I will not oppose a position on the team, but you will have to earn that on your own merits with the Team Leader and the Team Trainer. If this is acceptable, then I will also grant you access to our Laboratories, equivalent to your security level." She paused again as she considered his last request. "I won't supply or condone DNA samples. However as the Team Physician, the medical welfare of the heroes will be your purview." It was easy to tell that she was after plausible deniability as she negotiated.

JACE was certain he could earn a position on the team easily enough. He also understood the need for deniability by Ophilia. A smile crossed his face as he clarified things. "Then I will need some level of autonomy where my medical expertise is involved. I will need final say within that realm, although I understand the need to have a team leader for other things, I will not submit to anyone second-guessing my medical skills. If that is acceptable, then we have a deal.

"I won't be poking my nose into your business, and I will encourage the team to provide you with what you need." There was no question at this moment that Ophilia was a business woman, and a proficient one at that. There was an edge about her as she continued. "I will not however force any of the team to subject themselves to any tests that they don't feel comfortable with. Nor will it be mandatory that a team member release their secret identity to you. …and your continued employment will be contingent on you fostering a friendly environment with the team."

"All suitable requirements, Ms. DiSantiago. I merely wish to be assured that I will be allowed to oversee the health needs of the team without interference from the uneducated. Should I certify a team member unable to participate in a mission due to health reasons, I need the authority to enforce my certification. I would, of course, expect to have to give my reasons to the team leader, assuming medical confidentiality can be maintained. To be blunt, I do not want a person with potentially life threatening injuries to decide for themselves that they should do something dangerous despite my advice, thus endangering their lives and the lives of others."

For the first time, his negotiations gave her pause, and it took a few moments for her to reply. "I can agree to that in theory. However, there are very few assurances I can give you other than my backing. If there's one thing that I've learned in my time dealing with meta humans, it's that they're a fussy lot, and I won't endorse physical restraint to keep them off a mission."

JACE smiled. "Understandable. I've found chemical restraints more effective on meta-humans.

"Do we have a deal?"

"We have a deal, Ms. DiSantiago."